विचारयध्वं मिलिता हितं स्यान्मम वै कथम् । मन्त्रिण ऊचुः - किं ब्रूमोऽस्मिन्महाराज सङ्कटेऽतिदुरासदे
Deliberate together and decide what is best for me. The ministers said: What can we say, O king, in this dire and difficult situation?
दुर्भगाय सुकन्यैषा कथं देयातिसुन्दरी । व्यास उवाच - तदा चिन्ताकुलं वीक्ष्य पितरं मन्त्रिणस्तदा
How can this exceedingly beautiful Sukanya be given to one so unfortunate? Vyasa said: Seeing the father troubled, the ministers were likewise distressed.
सुकन्या त्विङ्गितं ज्ञात्वा प्रहस्येदमुवाच ह । पितः कस्माद्भवानद्य चिन्ताव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः
But Sukanya, perceiving his distress, smiled and spoke these words: 'Father, why are you today so troubled and your senses so agitated?'
मत्कृते दुःखसंविग्नो विषण्णवदनोऽसि वै । अहं गत्वा मुनिं तत्र समाश्वास्य भयार्दितम्
'Because of me, you are overwhelmed by sorrow and your face is cast down. I will go to the sage there and comfort him, who is afflicted by fear.'
करिष्यामि प्रसन्नं तं आत्मदानेन वै पितः । इति राजा वचः श्रुत्वा भाषितं यत्सुकन्यया
'Father, I will make him pleased by offering myself, truly.' Hearing these words spoken by Sukanya—
तामुवाच प्रसन्नात्मा सचिवानां च शृण्वताम् । कथं पुत्रि त्वमन्धस्य परिचर्यां वनेऽबला
The king, his mind calmed, spoke to her in the presence of his ministers: 'Daughter, how will you, a young woman, serve a blind man in the forest?'
करिष्यसि जरार्तस्य क्रोधनस्य विशेषतः । कथमन्धाय चानेन रूपेण रतिसन्निभाम्
'How will you care for one old with age, especially one prone to anger? And how, with your beauty, will you give yourself to this blind man, as if to a beloved?'
ददामि जरया ग्रस्तदेहाय सुखवाञ्छया । पित्रा पुत्री प्रदातव्या वयोज्ञातिबलाय च
'How can I give you, desiring your happiness, to one whose body is consumed by old age? A daughter should be given by her father to one who is of suitable age and strength.'
धनधान्यसमृद्धाय नाधनाय कदाचन । क्व ते रूपं विशालाक्षि क्वासौ वृद्धो वनेचरः
'To one rich in wealth and grain, never to a poor man. Where is your beauty, O wide-eyed one, and where is that old forest-dweller?'
कथं देया मया पुत्री तस्मै नातिवराय च । उटजे नियतं वासो यस्य नित्यं मनोहरे
'How can I give my daughter to him, who is not an excellent match? His dwelling is always in a hut, though charming.'
कथमम्बुजपत्राक्षि कल्पनीयो मया तव । मरणं मे वरं प्राप्तं सैनिकानां तथैव च
'How, O lotus-eyed one, can I arrange this for you? Death would be preferable for me, and likewise for my soldiers.'
न ते प्रदानमन्धाय रोचते पिकभाषिणि । भवितव्यं भवत्येव धैर्यं नैव त्यजाम्यहम्
'It does not please me to give you to a blind man, O sweet-voiced one. Yet what must be, will be; I will not abandon my courage.'
सुस्थिरा भव सुश्रोणि न दास्येऽन्धाय कर्हिचित् । राज्यं तिष्ठतु वा यातु देहोऽयं च तथैव मे
'Be steadfast, O fair-hipped one; I will never give you to a blind man. Let the kingdom remain or go, and likewise this body of mine.'
न त्वां दास्याम्यहं तस्मै नेत्रहीनाय बालिके । सुकन्या तं तदा प्राह श्रुत्व तद्वचनं पितुः
'I will not give you to that blind man, O child.' Then Sukanya, hearing her father's words—
प्रसन्नवदनातीव स्नेहयुक्तमिदं वचः । सुकन्योवाच - न मे चिन्ता पितः कार्या देहि मां मुनयेऽधुना
With a face bright with affection, Sukanya spoke these words: 'Father, you need not worry; give me now to the sage.'
सुखं भवतु सर्वेषां लोकानां मत्कृतेन हि । सेवयिष्यामि सन्तुष्टा पतिं परमपावनम्
'Let happiness come to all the worlds because of me. I will serve my husband, supremely pure, with satisfaction.'
भक्त्या परमया चापि वृद्धं च विजने वने । सतीधर्मपरा चाहं चरिष्यामि सुसम्मतम्
'With utmost devotion I will serve the old man in the lonely forest. I am devoted to the path of a faithful wife and will act as is most proper.'
न भोगेच्छास्ति मे तात स्वस्थं चित्तं ममानघ । व्यास उवाच - तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्या मन्त्रिणो विस्मयं गताः
'I have no desire for enjoyment, father; my mind is calm and pure.' Vyasa said: 'Hearing her words, the ministers were amazed.'
राजा च परमप्रीतो जगाम मुनिसन्निधौ । गत्वा प्रणम्य शिरसा तमुवाच तपोधनम्
And the king, greatly pleased, went to the sage's presence. Approaching and bowing his head, he spoke to the ascetic—
स्वामिन् गृहाण पुत्रीं मे सेवार्थं विधिवद्विभो । इत्युक्त्वासौ ददौ पुत्रीं विवाहविधिना नृपः
'Master, accept my daughter for service, according to the proper rite.' Having said this, the king gave his daughter in marriage, following the prescribed ceremony.
प्रतिगृह्य मुनिः कन्यां प्रसन्नो भार्गवोऽभवत् । पारिबर्हं न जग्राह दीयमानं नृपेण ह
Having accepted the maiden, the sage became pleased; Bhargava did not take the gifts offered by the king.
कन्यामेवाग्रहीत्कामं परिचर्यार्थमात्मनः । प्रसन्नेऽस्मिन्मुनौ जातं सैनिकानां सुखं तदा
He took only the maiden, as he wished, for his own service; with the sage thus satisfied, the soldiers too found happiness at that time.
राज्ञश्च परमाह्लादः सञ्जातस्तत्क्षणादपि । दत्त्वा पुत्रीं यदा राजा गमनाय गृहं प्रति
And the king too felt supreme joy at that very moment, when, having given his daughter, he prepared to return home.
मतिं चकार तवङ्गी तदोवाच नृपं सुता । सुकन्योवाच - गृहाण मम वासांसि भूषणानि च मे पितः
Then, O king, your daughter made up her mind and spoke: Sukanya said— 'Father, take my garments and ornaments.'
वल्कलं परिधानाय प्रयच्छाजिनमुत्तमम् । वेषं तु मुनिपत्नीनां कृत्वा तपसि सेवनम्
'Give me bark-cloth to wear and a fine deerskin; I will adopt the attire of a sage's wife and engage in austerities.'
करिष्यामि तथा तात यथा ते कीर्तिरच्युता । भविष्यति भुवः पृष्ठे तथा स्वर्गे रसातले
'I will act in such a way, father, that your fame will remain undying on earth, in heaven, and in the netherworld.'
परलोकसुखायाहं चरिष्यामि दिवानिशम् । दत्त्वान्धाय च वृद्धाय सुन्दरीं युवतीं तु माम्
'For the sake of happiness in the next world, I will serve day and night; having given me, a beautiful young woman, to an old and blind man—'
चिन्ता त्वया न कर्तव्या शीलनाशसमुद्भवा । अरुन्धती वसिष्ठस्य धर्मपत्नी यथा भुवि
'You should not worry, for anxiety leads to ruin; I will be on earth like Arundhati, the virtuous wife of Vasiṣṭha.'
तथैवाहं भविष्यामि नात्र कार्या विचारणा । अनसूया यथा साध्वी भार्यात्रेः प्रथिता भुवि
'In the same way, I will be; there is no need for doubt in this. I will be like Anasūyā, the renowned chaste wife of Atri on earth.'
तथैवाहं भविष्यामि पुत्री कीर्तिकरी तव । सुकन्यावचनं श्रुत्वा राजा परमधर्मवित्
'So too will I be, your daughter, a bringer of fame to you.' Hearing Sukanya's words, the king, who knew the highest dharma—